Magnetic door catch



March 23, 1954 o, TEETQR 2,673,111

MAGNETIC DOOR CATCH Filed Oct. 20 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

March 23, 1954 M. o. TEETOR MAGNETIC DOOR CATCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 20 1951 Patented Mar. 23, 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 2,673,111 MAGNETIC DOOR CATCH Macy 0. Teetor, New Orleans, La. Application October 20, 1951, Serial No. 252,351 14 Claims. (01. 292251.5)

This invention relates to a novel and improved magnetic door catch and more particularly to a magnetic catch adapted for use on cabinet doors of the blind panel type.

Among the more recent innovations in cabinetware and the Iii-1e is the cabinet door of the blind panel type in which there is little or no visible hardware and which does not have the usual knob or handle for opening the door. Such doors require a special type of catch or latch mechanism which for convenience may be repush-to-open catch. When the to closed position, the catch opcrates automatically to secure the door in closed extent and the so-called push-to-open catch is automatically released whereupon the door is opened by the action of a spring or the like constituting part of the catch mechanism.

Several forms of push-to-open catches operating on strictly mechanical principles have been proposed heretofore and some have been made available commercially. However, such devices as a rule have been subject to the same disadvantages and defects inherent in all mechanical door catches which are dependent upon mechanical interengagement of cooperating catch elements mounted on the door and the door frame or other adjacent supporting structure. The most common difficulty in this respect arises from the very frequent misalignment of the coacting catch elements due either to faulty initial installation or to sagging or warping of the various parts of the cabinet some time after the initial installation of the catch elements. As a result of misalignment, the door tends either to stick or jam in closed position or else the door is unable to close properly. In most cases the defect can be corrected satisfactorily only by completely removing one or both catch elements and remounting them in properly aligned positions.

As will hereinafter appear, my invention provides a door catch Which embodies the pushto-open mode of operation but relies on magnetic attractive principles in order to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages of the strictly mechanical catches of this type.

Accordingly, a primary object of my invention is to provide a novel door catch of the character described which is not subject to misalignment difficulties and other defects of the mechanical devices heretofore suggested.

Another object'of the invention is to provide a novel door catch of the class described which incorporates magnetic operating principles.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel magnetic door catch which is specially adapted for use with cabinet doors of the blind panel type which do not have the usual knob 0r handle for opening the door.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel magnetic door catch of the class described which which can be inexpensively manufactured, and

apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view on a reduced scale of a fragmentary portion of a door and frame structure having a catch embodying the features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of one unit of the catch as mounted on the frame;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the catch unit as viewed from the right side in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view showing the portions of the catch elements when the door is in its normal closed position;

Fig. 5 is a rear elevational view as seen from the right in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the positions of the catch elements When the door is pressed inwardly to efiect release of the catch and subsequent automatic opening of the door;

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 1-1 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 88 of Fig. 4; and

Figs. 9 and 10 are fragmentary transverse sectional views showing the manner of assembly of the parts of the device.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of The front edges, designated at 19, of the side portions I! will be referred to as the finish face of the frame. The side members ll are also provided with upright inwardly extending portions 2| which constitute the door jamb for limiting the inward movement of the door, as will hereinafter appear.

The door and frame structure is provided with a magnetic catch embodying the features of my invention and consisting of a swingable magnet unit 22 mounted at the inner face of the outermost door jamb ill by means of a mounting device 23 and a cooperating armature unit comprising a plate 24 affixed in coacting position at the inner face of the door it.

Referring now to Figs. 2 to 8 inclusive, the magnet unit 22 is shown as comprising an elongated housing or body member having oppositely disposed sides 26, a closed lower end portion 21, and a front wall 28 (Fig. 4) which curves upwardly from the closed end 21 and terminates at its upper end inwardly from the front edges of the side walls 26. The front wall 22 is provided with a rectangular aperture or opening 29 adjacent the lower end of the housing for receiving a magnet element, as hereinafter described. In addition, the upper portions of the side walls 26 are slanted or bevelled rearwardly, as at 3|, to facilitate releasing movement of the magnet unit as will be described hereinafter in detail in connection with the operation of the device.

The magnet housing is pivotally or swingably mounted by means of a mounting plate 32 which is amxed to the inside face of the door J'amb 2| by a, plurality of screws 33 and is provided with an integral outwardly extending pivot pin or stud 34. The upper ends of the sides 26 of the magnet housing are formed with rearwardly-opening semi-circular apertures or half-bearings 36 which pivotally engage the stud 34 at the forward half thereof. Extending inwardly and upwardly from the sides 28 of the magnet housing are a pair of integral upright lugs or projections 31 (Fig. 2) providing forwardly-opening semi-circular apertures or half-bearings which fit around the stud 34 at the rear half thereof and axially intermediate the outermost half-bearings 35. The base of the supporting stud 34 is integrally formed with a boss or enlargement 3B which holds the magnet housing away from the heads of the screws 33' whereby to permit free and unobstructed swinging movement of the magnet unit on the stud 34. In addition, the central portion of the stud 34 is formed with an integral radiallyprojecting hump or protuberance 39 which is disposed intermediate the innermost half-bearings 31 for normally retaining the magnet unit on the stud 34. By reason of the discontinuous or semi-circular construction of the. half-bearings 38 and 31, the swingable magnet unit can be readily assembled in operating relation on the stud 34, as will hereinafter be described.

The magnet housing may be conveniently fabricated as a die-casting and is preferably formed from a non-magnetic material such as brass, aluminum, or zinc. If desired, the magnet housing can also be formed from a suitable plastic.

Disposed within the hollow interior of the mag.- net housing is a permanent horseshoe magnet elementor magnet element 4| having a pair of spaced projecting pole pieces or legs 42 and a transverse connecting portion 43. Any suitable magnetic metal or alloy may be utilized for the magnet 4| but I prefer to use the alloy of aluminum, nickel, and cobalt known as Alnico. The ma net 4| is disposed within the magnet housing with the legs 42 extending transversely in the direction-of and projecting slightly through the opening 29 in the forward wall 23 of the housing. As will be clear from the drawings, the opening 29 through which the legs 42 of the magnet element extend is slightly larger than the external dimensions of the magnet 4| so that there is sufficient clearance therebetween to permit limited angular or cooking movement of the magnet element relative to its housing. Extending between the sides 26 at the rear of the magnet housing is a cross member or backing plate 44 having a central bump or hump 45 against which the connecting portion 43 of the magnet seats to permit self-adjusting rockable movement of the magnet 4| in a generally horizontal plane.

An elongated resilient strap or spring 41, preferably having a round cross-sectional shape, is provided for retaining the magnet element 4| in assembled relation within the magnet housing and for coaction with the door It to effect automatic opening of the latter upon release of the catch mechanism. One end of the spring 41 is provided with a hook portion 48 (Fig. 4) which fits under the uppermost edge of the aperture 29 in the front wall 23 of the magnet housing, and the spring 41 curves upwardly over the stud 34 and thence downwardly and inwardly, as at 49, through the open rear portion of the magnet housing. The remaining portion of the spring 41 is substantially straight, as at 5|, and passes downwardly between the legs 42 of the magnet and is retained at its extreme lower end 52 by engagement with the interior of the magnet housing adjacent the juncture of the lower end 21 and the front wall 28. By reason of the inherent resilience of the spring member 41, the straight portion 5i of the spring thereby presses against a rounded groove 53 which is integrally formed in the magnet, element between the legs 42 thereof and the magnet is thereby resiliently held against the hump or protuberance 46 of the cross plate 44. As will hereinafter appear in connection with the description of the operation of the device, the spring member 41 has a normal outwardly bowed configuration adjacent the upper forward portion of the magnet unit and it is this portion of the spring 41 which coacts with the door ififor opening the latter.

The armature unit of my device comprising the elongated flat plate 24 is formed from a magnetically permeable metal such as iron or steel and is secured to. the inner face of the door It by means of a plurality of screws 54. It willv be understood that the armature plate 24 is mounted in suitable coasting position on the door it to permit engagement of the magnet element 4| therewith when the door is in closed position adjacent the frame.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the swingable magnet unit 22 of the catch is shown in its normal freehanging position when the door I6 is open and the armature plate 24 is therefore outside of the region of magnetic attraction of the magnet element. As will be particularly evident from Fig. 3, the center of gravity of the magnet unit 22 is such that the unit normally hangs on a slight slant with the bottom end of the housing being dis-posed inwardly from the front face of the door jamb 2| and slightly to the rear of the pivot line defined by the stud 34.

When the door H5 is moved to its normal closed position, the magneticattraction of the magnet element 4| for the armature plate 24 causes the entire magnet unit 22' to pivot forwardly about the stud 34 to a substantially vertical position (Figs. 4 and 5) with the contact faces of the magnet legs 42 engaging the corresponding flat surface of the armature plate 24. Thus, the swingable magnet unit 22 is now temporarily adhered to or secured to outwardly bowed surface of the door jamb 2| may be relatively small, for example about or of an inch.

When it is desired to open the door, the door I6 is pushed inwardly, as seen in Fig. 6, until the armature plate 25 engages the door jamb 2|. movement obviously causes the magnet housing to rock inwardly about the stud 34 by reason of the camming engagement of the armature plate 24 with the forward edges of the sides 26 of the itated by the slanted or bevelled shoulders ill on the sides 26, as will be readily understood. Thus, when the magnet unit 22 is rocked to its rearwardmost Fig. 6 position, the armature plate 24 contacts the magnet housing junctures of the slanted shoulders 3i with the lower straight portions of the housing sides 25, and the spring 41 is at the same time deflected or compressed rearwardly to the position shown in Fig. 6. The result of this camming action and inward rocking of the magnet unit is that the magnetic contact between the magnet element 4! and the armature plate 24 is disrupted thereby releasing the catch.

Following the limited inward movement of the door E6 to effect release of the catch mechanism as above described, the pressure on the door It is abruptly released whereupon the action of the spring l! in engagement with the armature plate 24 below the pivot line of the stud 34 causes the door it to be pushed outwardly and away from the magnet unit before the magnet housing can swing forwardly to permitmagnetic contact between the magnet element and the armature. In other Words, the change in angularity of the magnet unit 22, as seen in Fig. 6, in conjunction with the increased spring pressure as a result of the displacement of the spring 47 provides a rapid and resilient opening movement of the door it so that the door is quickly pivoted beyond the effective region of the forces of magnetic attraction and before the magnet element 41 returns to its normal free-hanging position. Thus, it will be seen that the present device has the same general mode of operation as the strictly mechanical push-to-open catches heretofore known but the retention and release of the door is accomplished solely by establishing and disrupting magnetic contact between the magnet and armature elements of the device.

As hereinbefore pointed out, the chief disadvantage of the mechanical catches of the pushto-open type arises from the frequent misalignment of the catch elements due to misalignment of the door relative to the frame. Even when the most extreme care is exercised in the instalsubstantially at the lation of a mechanical catch, it will usually be found in wood cabinetware that warping or sagging of the door and/0r frame results in ultimate misalignment. This difiiculty is obviated by my invention because the coacting catch elements are so arranged as to permit a substantial degree of self-adjustment and automatic alignment be: tween the operating portions of the catch. Thus, it will be quite evident that because of the swingable mounting of the magnet housing on the stud 34, the magnet element 4| can readily accom- 42 and the armature plate 2 1 even though the door may not be in parallel alignment relative to the frame. Similarly, the transverse rockable relation of the magnet element 49 with respect to the rear cross plate 44 of the magnet housing permits automatic self-alignment of the magnet element in a generally horizontal plane whereby to compensate for horizontal misalignment between the door and frame by permitting full surface contact between the magnet and the armature in a gener- The adjustability and self-aligment of the parts is further facilitated by the clearance provided between the periphery of the magnet element ll and the housing aperture 29 so that the magnet element 4| can undergo limited angular or cooking movement relative to its housing. Thus, it will be understood that self-alignment of the parts is facilitated not only by pivotal or swinging movement of the magnet housing and magnet by limited angular or cocking movement of the element as a unitbut also magnet element relative to its housing.

Although it will means may be provided for pivotally mounting the magnet unit 22 on the door jamb 2|, the

specific structural embodiment comprising the plate 32 and the stud 34 illustrated herein is particularly desirable since it afiords a minimum number of parts and by die-casting techniques. have illustrated the magnet unit 22 on the pivot stud 34. magnet unit 22 tion with the legs 12 of the magnet element extending forwardly and the unit is then slid onto the stud a l until innermost half bearing 31 In Figs. 9 and 10 I engages the protuberance 39 on the stud, as seen in Fig. 9. Then, the magnet unit 22 is pivoted sition with the protuberance 39 extending between the half-bearings El.

As a result of this simplified construction, it will be understood that the mounting plate 32 and its stud 3:! can be installed on either side of the door jamb iii and readily assembled in left-hand position of the device. The installation of the device is further facilitated by the predetermined location of the stud 34 relative to the vertical side edges of the plate 32 so that the unit will be automatically disposed in proper operating position when the mounting plate 32 is installed with its forward edge in flush relation with the corresponding forward surface of be understood that variousmay be readily fabricated manner of assembling the.

First, the is held in normal upright posi- Thereafter, the

3d at the base of the the swinging unit can be either the right-hand or {ch ddar {mtg}, Thus, there is no need; for pr isje measurements to irrig lr e accurate mount mg of theswingingyl nit for proper operation. Although; the invention hafsl been described herein in connection with a specific structural embddiment thereof, it will be understood that varioiis equivalent structures and modifications may be resorted to withoutdep'arting from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. H

t m; .4 .g a l. A In gn'etic door catch of the character .de-' scribed comprising armature means adapted to be mounted on a door, coacting magnet means incln mg a r'nagnet sup'port adapted to be mov ably mounted adjacent the door and a magnet element carried by said support and opieratively engageable with said armature means for holdingnre door in normal closed relation in one position of said support, means on said support operatively engageable with the door for shifti'ng said support toa different position in responseto limited inward movement of the door from its normal closed position and thereby moving s'aid magnetj element away from the door and operatively disengaging said magnet element; and said armature means, and spring means" adapted for operative engagement with the door for opening the door following the disengagement ofs'aid magnet element and said armature means. a I

2.1 Amagneti'c door catch of the character described comprising armature means adapted to be mounted on a door, coacting magnet means including a magnet support adapted to be pivotally mounted adjacent the door for swinging movement'away from and toward the door and a magnet element carried by said support and operatively engageable with said armature means for holding the door in normal closed position when said support is in its forwardly pivoted position, cam means on said support operatively engageable with the door for swinging said support and the magnet element rear wardly and away from the door in response to limited inward movement of the door from its normal closed position thereby operatively disengaging' said magnet element and said armature means, andspring means adapted for operative engagement with the door for normally urging the door outwardly whereby to effect opening of the door under spring pressure following the disengagement of said magnet element and said armature'means.

3; A magnetic door catch of the character d e}.

scribed comprising an armature element adapted to be mounted on a door, magnet housing structure adapted to be movably supported adjacent the door for movement away from and toward the door and having a magnet element mounted therein for coaction said magnet element being engageable with said armature element for holding the door in normal closed position when said housing structure is in its forward position and'said housing struc-' ture having a portion operatively engageable with the" door for moving saidstructure rear wardly in response to limited inward movement of the door from its normal closed position for disengaging said magnet element from said armature element, and spring means adapted for operative engagement with the door for normally urging the door outwardly whereby to open the door following'the disengagement of said magnet and armature elements.

with said armature element,

u iinst ll pp io o laido r and ediae n i rameri.

4. Amagnetic catch of the character described for installation on a door andiadjacent frame, comprising an armature element adapted v" .0 e m t o th d epen lo ea e fl snet 11 11.51. ins a e t b inivoi l yr se ure a iacentit upper end to the frame for swinging movement wa mm. and ward the dw a ma n eme t s pported adiacentth iq r end r ai s' n ns a l i ith sa a ma re ,ele:

ment wh n a d us n i ni ior a l i iv d b i m q h d n e floo no ma closed position said housing having a cam por H011; opemiivelr n ageebl .yvflht .00 tier swinging said housing rearwar'dly and awayfrom the door and therebydisengaging said magnet and armature elements in response to limited inward movementof the. door from its normal closed position into operative engagement with said cam portion; and spring Ineansfor opening the door following the disengagement of said magnet and armatureelements, r

5. A magnetic catch of the character described and adapted for installation on a door and adj'acent frame, comprising an armature element rigidlymountable on the door, a swingable mem ber pivotally securable on theframe for swing; ing movement away from and towardthe door, a magnet element carried by the swingable me'm vher for coactin'g engagement with said armature element for holding the door in normal closed position when the swingable member is in its forwardly pivoted position, said swingableniem ber having a cam surface adapted for operative engagement with the door and said magnetele;

ment being disengage able from the armature element to release, the door in response to limitedinward movement of the doorfroin its normal closed position into operative camming engage: ment with said cam surface whereby topivot the swingable member rearwardly, and spring means for automatically opening'the door upon disengagement of said magnet and armature elements.

6. A magnetic door catch of thecharacter described for installation on Vcoactingdoor and frame members, comprising an armature element adapted to be mounted on the door, magnet-supporting means adapted to be pivotally mounted on the frame adjacent said door for swinging movement in a vertical plane away from and toward the door, a magnet element rockably carried by said magnet-supporting means for limited angular movement in a generally horizjontalplane and engageable with said armature element forholding thedoor in normal closed position when said magnet supporting means is in its torwardly v pivoted position, said magnetsupporting means having a portion oper;

atively engageable with the door for swinging said magnet-supporting means rearwardly and away i from the door and thereby disengaging said mag net and'armatureelements in response tolimited inward movement of the door from its normal closed position intooperative engagement with said portion, and spring means for opening the door following thedisen'g agement of said mag-Q net and armature elements, the swingability of said magnet-supporting means in a vertical plane and the rockability of saidmagnet element in a generally horizontal plane permitting fiatwise full surface contact between said magnet andarmature elements when said door and frame members are in misaligned positions.

'1. A magnetic catch of the character described comprising an armature element adapted to be mounted on the door, an elongated magnet housing adapted to be pivotally secured adjacent its upper end to the frame for swinging movement away from and toward the door in a vertical plane, a magnet element rockably supported adjacent the lower end of said housing for limited angular movement in a generally horizontal plane transversely of said housing and engageable with said armature element when said nousing is in its forwardly pivoted position for holding the door in normal closed position, said housing having integral cam means adjacent its upper end operatively engageable with the door for swinging said housing rearwardly and thereby disengaging said magnet and armature elements in response to limited inward movement of the door from. its normal closed position into operative engagement with said cam means, and spring means for opening the door following the disengagement of said magnet and armature elements, the vertical swingability of said housing and the generally horizontal rockability of said magnet element permitting selfalignment and fiatwise full surface contact between said magnet and armature elements when said door and frame are in misaligned positions.

8. A magnetic catch of the character described for installation on coacting door and frame members, comprising an armature element adapted to be mounted on the door, magnetsupporting means adapted to be pivotally mounted on the frame adjacent said door for swinging movement away from and toward the door, a magnet element carried by said magnet-supporting means and engageable with said armature element in the forwardly pivoted position of said magnet-supporting means for holding the door in normal closed position, said magnetsupporting means having a portion operatively engageable with the door for swinging said magnet-supporting means rearwardly and away from the door and thereby disengaging said magnet and armature elements in response to limited inward movement of the door from its normal closed position into operative engagement with said portion, and spring means associated with said magnet-supporting means for retaining said magnet element in assembled relation therewith, said spring means having a portion adapted for operative engagement with the door for opening the latter under spring pressure following the disengagement of said magnet and armature elements.

9. A magnetic catch of the character described for installation on a door and adjacent frame, comprising an armature element adapted to be mounted on the door, an elongated magnet housing adapted to be pivotally secured adjacent its upper end to the frame for swinging movement away from and toward the door, a magnet element having a pair of spaced legs and disposed adjacent the lower end of said housing with said legs extending forwardly from the housing for engagement with said armature element when said housing is in its forwardly pivoted posi tion for holding the door in normal closed position, said housing having shoulder means adjacent its upper end operatively engageable with the door for swinging said housing rearwardly and thereby disengaging said magnet and armature elements in response to limited inward movement of the door from its normal closed position into operative engagement with said shoulder means, and an elongated spring member having one end portion thereof extending longitudinally within said housing and engag. ing said magnet element intermediate said legs for retaining the magnet element in assembled relation within said housing, the opposite end portion of said spring member extending upwardly and forwardly beyond said housing for operatively engaging the door and normally urging the latter outwardly whereby to effect automatic opening of the door upon disengagement of said magnet and armature elements.

it. A magnetic catch of the character described for installation on a door and adjacent frame, comprising an armature element adapted to be mounted on the door, an elongated magnet housing adapted to be pivotally secured adjacent its upper end to the frame for swinging movement away and toward the door, said housing having a forward wall with an aperture therein adjacent the lower end of the housing, a magnet element disposed within said housing having a pair of spaced legs extending forwardly through said aperture and engageable with said armature element when said housing is in its forwardly pivoted position for holding the door in normal closed position, said housing having shoulder means adjacent its upper end operatively engageable with the door for swingsaid housing rearwardly and thereby disengaging said magnet and armature elements in response to limited inward movement of the door from its normal closed position into operative engagement with said shoulder means, and an elongated. spring member retained at one end thereof within said housing and engaging said magnet element intermediate said legs for holdingthe magnet element in assembled relation the housing, said spring member having rwardly extending and outwardly bowed portion adjacent its opposite end adapted for operative engagement with the door and being compressible for increasing the spring pressure on the door during rearward. swinging movement of said housing whereby to effect automatic opening of the door under the increased spring pressure following the disengagement of said magnet and armature elements.

11. A. magnetic catch of the character deved for installation on a door and adjacent f1 acne, comprising an armature element adapted to he mounted on the door, an elongated magnet housing adapted to be pivotally secured adjacent its upper end to the frame for swinging movement away from and toward the door, said housing having a forward wall with an aperture therein adjacent the lower end of the housing and having a tra verse supporting member spaced rearwardly aperture, a magnet element disposed 1 in housing in engagement with said sup porting member and having a pair of spaced legs xtending forwardly through said aperture for ngag ruent with said armature element when laid licusing in its forwardly pivoted position or holding the door in. normal closed position, housing having shoulder means adjacent its upper end operatively engageable with the door for swinging sid housing rearwardly and thereby disengaging said armature and magnet eleresponse to limited inward movement of the door from its normal closed position into operative engagement with shoulder means, elongated spring in niber having one end portion extending longitudinally within said housing and engaging said magnet element intermediate said legs for retaining the magnet element in abutment against said supporting member m CD f 11 but permitting limited transverse rocking move- Inentof said magnet'elementysaid spring member extending forwardly'from said housing at its opposite end portion for operativeenga'gement with the door whereby to effect'opening of the door upon disengagement ofsaid" magnet and rrnature elements.

12. A magnetic catch of the character described for installation-on a doorand'adjacent frame, comprising an armature element adapted to be mounted on the'door, an elongated magnet housing adapted to be pivotally secured adjacent its protuberance facing said aperture, a magnet element disposed within said housing and having a pair ofspaced legs extending forwardly through said aperture for engagement with said armature element when said housing is in its forwardly pivoted'position for holdingthe door in normal closed position, the sides of said housing being provided with -rearwardly slanted upper end portions for facilitating rearward swinging movement of said housing with-consequent disengagement of said magnet and armature'elements in response to limited inward movement'of the door from its normal closed position into operative camming engagement withs'aid housing, and an elongated springmemberhaving one end portion thereof extending longitudinally within'saidhousing and engaging said magnet element intermediate the legs thereof for rockably retaining the magnet element against said protuberance; said spring member extending at-its oppositeend portion forwardly" from -said housingand thence curving downwardly into retained engagement at the upper'edge of said aperture whereby to provide an outwardly" bowed spring portion adapted for operative'engagement"with the doorysaid out- 12 wardly bowed spring portion being compressible during operative*"'camming "engagement of 'the doorwith'said housing whereby to eifectautomaticopening of the door following the'disenga'gement of said magnet and armature elements. "13; A'magnetic door catch of the character described and adapted'for installation on'a door and adjacent frame, comprising an armature adapted to 'be' rigidly mounted on the door, mounting means including an "outwardly extending "stud adap't'edto berigidly afiixed'to the frame, an elongated swingable support pivotally secured'on said stud for swinging movement away from and toward the door, a magnet element carried b'y'said support and'engageable Withsaid armature element in the forwardly pivoted positionof' said support for holding the door in normal closedp'osition, said support having integral cam means operatively' engageable with the 'door for swinging said support rearwardly and away from the door andv thereby disengaging" said magnet and armature elements in" response to limited inward movement'of the door from its normalclosed position into operativeengagement with'said cam means, and spring meansfor opening the door following the disengagement of said magnet and armature elements. 14; The device of claim 13 further characterized in that said swingable" support is provided with a plurality of oppositely opening half-bearings pivotally engagedwith said stud and said stud is provided witna-centr'al protuberance cooperating with said half-bearingsfor retaining the sup'port against inadvertent axial'mo'vement upon said study 7 v MACY Q. TEETOR.

Re es ci i t e fi e Q aspir n N DT TAT ATENT 

